HOW TO ASK FOR DIRECTIONS

Helpful Phrases:


Where is?
Excuse me, where is the market?
How can I get?
How can get from Bloor Street to Lambeth Square?
Could you give me directions?
Could you give me direction to the Royal Albert Hall?
What’s the best way to get reach?
What‟s the best way to reach London? On the M1 or the M40?
Which route do you recommend?
Which route do you recommend from Burlington to Boston?

HOW TO ASK ABOUT FACILITIES

Helpful Phrases:


What does it include?
What does the rental contract include?
Is furniture provided?
Is furniture for the stand provided or do we have to bring our own?
Is there?
Is there a crane we could rent? Our machines are very heavy.
Do the facilities have?
Do the facilities have a parking lot?
What features?
What special features does the venue have?

HOW TO ASK FOR A PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION

Helpful Phrases:

What does it look like?

What does the building look like?

How big is it?

How big are the offices?

How much does it weigh?

How much does this container weigh?

How high is it?

How high is the whole structure?

What’s it made of?

What are the pens made of? Metal or plastic?

HOW TO ASK FOR PAYMENT

Helpful Phrases:


When is your next payment date?
When is your next payment date? I can't wait forever.
When will my cheque be ready?
When will my cheque be ready? On Monday?
According to our records
According to our records you still owe us $ 4,500.
Your instalment is past due
Your monthly instalment is past due. Do you have any problem?
When shall I pass by to collect?
When shall I pass by to collect? I do need the cash.

HOW TO ASK ABOUT PAYMENT TERMS

Helpful Phrases:


What are your payment conditions?
What are your standard payment conditions?
Could we talk about payment terms?
Could we talk about payment terms later? I'm in a hurry now.
How do you normally get paid?
How do you normally get paid? We generally send a cheque.
Would a letter of credit be all right?
Would a letter of credit be all right? It's the best method.
What about paying in installments?
What about paying in installments? We do need some financing.

HOW TO ASK ABOUT DELIVERY TIMES

Helpful Phrases:


When could we receive?
When could we receive the goods?
What are your shortest delivery times?
What are your shortest delivery times for Canada?
How long will it take to arrive?
How long will it take to arrive at our factory?
When can we count on having it?
When can we count on having it ready for shipping?
Could we get it by?
Could we get it into port by next Tuesday?

HOW TO ASK ABOUT WAITING TIMES

Helpful Phrases:


How long will?
How long will it be before you fix the leak?
Is he going to take a long time?
Is the Doctor going to take a long time?
How delayed?
How delayed is the flight?
Do you think we should wait?
Do you think we should wait? It's eleven and nothing has happened yet.
When will?
When will the speech end? I'm tired of sitting here!

HOW TO ASK SOMEONE TO WAIT

Helpful Phrases:


Would you mind waiting?
Would you mind waiting outside, please? There's a couch by the window.
Could you hold on?
Could you hold on? I'll finish this and shall be with you in a minute.
Just a second, please
Just a second, please. Yes, how can I help you?
Could you remain?
Could you remain here for minute, please? I'll get the manager.
Just hang around
Just hang around for a while. I'll try to sneak you in through the back door.

HOW TO ASK ABOUT RESPONSIBILITY

Helpful Phrases:


Who is in charge?
Who is in charge of operations?
Who is running?
Who is running the Asia Pacific division now?
Who is accountable for this?
Who is accountable for this mistake?
Who will be blamed?
Who will be blamed? I'm sure it will be me!
Under whose responsibility?
Under whose responsibility was the test conducted?

HOW TO ASK ABOUT PRICE

Helpful Phrases:


What’s the price?
What's the price for one thousand units?
How much does it cost?
How much does the whole system cost?
What do you charge?
What do you charge for a hundred grams?
Could you give me your fees?
Could you give me your fees for the high season, please?
What are you asking for this?
What are you asking for this vase? It can't be very much…

HOW TO ASK ABOUT A PRODUCT OR SERVICE

Helpful Phrases:


Could you give me some information?
Could you give me some information on your services?
What can you tell me about?
What can you tell me about this dynamo?
What features does it have?
What features does this hydraulic press have?
What are the specifications?
What are the specifications of the switchboard?
Where can I buy it?
Where can I buy the MXC lava lamp?

HOW TO ASK ABOUT A COMPANY

Helpful Phrases:


What does your company do?
What exactly does your company do?
What are your main products?
What are your main products in the detergent category?
Which do you specialize in?
Which sector do you specialize in?
Which services do you provide?
Which services could you provide for us?
Where are you located?
Where are your headquarters located in Europe?

HOW TO ASK FOR OPINION

Helpful Phrases:


Can we get your input?
Can we get your input, Alex?
How do you feel about?
How do you feel about lengthening the contract?
What’s your opinion?
What's your opinion on wearing loafers to the meeting?
What do you think?
What do you think we should do with the Charley's affair?
Do you have any suggestions?
Do you have any suggestions for this committee?

HOW TO ASK SOMEONE TO ANSWER QUESTIONS

Helpful Phrases:


Could you reply to that?
Edith, could you reply to that, please?
Would you care to question?
Would you care to question Mr Jones? He?s better qualified.
I’d rather she answered to that
I'd rather Laura answered to that. Would you mind, Laura?
Why don’t we ask?
Why don't we ask Peter? He is the expert in shipping.
Let’s address this query to
Let's address this query to James. Are you ready, James?

HOW TO ASK SOMEONE TO SPEAK

Helpful Phrases:


Would you like to come to the stand?
Lenny, would you like to come over to the stand?
Allow me to give the floor to
Allow me to give the floor to our next speaker.
I would like to invite
I'd like to invite Professor Reynolds to give us his opinion.
I’d like to call on
I'd like to call on Dr Jacobs. Are you here, Doctor?
I believe someone would like to make a point.
I believe James would like to make a point. What is it, Richard?

HOW TO ASK FOR QUESTIONS

Helpful Phrases:
Would you like to ask?
Would you like to ask anything?
Do you have any query?
Do you have any query on my presentation?
Is it clear?
Is everything clear?
I’m ready to answer
I'm ready to answer any question you might have.
Is there anything you’d like?
Is there anything else you'd like me to explain?

HOW TO ASK FOR INSTRUCTIONS

Helpful Phrases:


How do you?
How do you operate this machine?
What is the best way?
What would you say is the best way to start this letter?
Can you show me?
Can you please show me how to fill this form?
Do you know?
Do you know anything about taxes? Could you help me fill out my return?
How should I go about it?
How should I go about asking for a raise? Shall I speak to Mark first?

HOW TO ASK FOR CLARIFICATION

Helpful Phrases:

What do you mean?
What do you exactly mean when you say taxes will be raised?
Could you clarify?
Could you clarify whether coffee is or isn't good for you?
I didn't understand
I didn't quite understand that last step. Could we go over it again?
Could you explain?
Could you explain to me how that is going to work?
I don't follow you
I just don't follow you. Why do you insist on discontinuing the service?

HOW TO ASK HOW TO CONTACT

Helpful Phrases:

Could I contact you?

Could I contact you at the agency later on?

How do I get in touch with you?

How do I get in touch with you if I have a problem with the system?

How can I reach you?

How can I reach you at the weekend? I don‟t have your home number.

What’s your?

What's your e-mail?

Could I have your?

Could I have your office address please?

HOW TO ASK ABOUT MEALS

Helpful Phrase:

Is it included in the price?
Is breakfast included in the price?
What time?
What time is dinner served?
Do you have a special menu?
Do you have a vegetarian menu at the restaurant?
Intolerant to gluten
Harry is intolerant to gluten. Is there anything else?
I’m allergic to
I'm allergic to nuts. Do you have any nut-free ice cream?